Election Officer and Investigators on Duty to Examine Complaints of Fraud or Voter Rights Abuses

U.S. Attorney’s Office
October 22, 2012

Western District of Washington(206) 553-7970

United States Attorney Jenny A. Durkan announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Arlen Storm will lead the efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Program for the upcoming November 6, 2012 general elections. AUSA Storm has been appointed to serve as the district election officer (DEO) for the Western District of Washington and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

United States Attorney Durkan said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and no vote should go uncounted because of fraud. The Department of Justice will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations.

Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. Federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.

The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses until November 6, 2012, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Durkan stated that AUSA/DEO Storm will be on duty in this district until voting is complete. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: 206-553-7970 or 253-428-3800.

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 206-622-0460.

Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767.

United States Attorney Durkan said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to my office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division.”